HYDERABAD, March 10: Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz chairman Bashir Qureshi said on Tuesday that his party would not hold talks with the government till the on-going work on the Thal canal was suspended and the Kalabagh dam project abandoned.

Talking to newsmen after a joint meeting of his party and Sindh intellectuals here at the Sindh Education Trust, he said he had been given to understand that if he called off the hunger strike unto death, the Sindh chief minister and assembly members would come to him and hold talks.

He said an urgent meeting of the party high command would be held to consider the suggestions and proposals of the instant meeting and to evolve a strategy to continue the struggle.

He thanked the writers and intellectuals of Sindh for their support. He said it was his considered opinion that Pakistan stood only for Punjab and the Sindh government was totally helpless before the federation and Punjab.

Replying to a questioner, he said his party had not signed any pact with the Muttehida Qaumi Movement and their understanding with the JSQM was restricted to Kalabagh dam, Thal canal, NFC Award and census issues only.

Earlier, in the meeting writers, poets and intellectuals of Sindh appealed to the JSQM to adopt alternate means of struggle with a view to saving the lives of party activists who had observed hunger strike unto death outside the Karachi Press Club.

The Sindh Democratic Party, chairman, Yousuf Laghari, advocate presided over the meeting. Those who attended the meeting included JSQM chairman Bashir Khan Qureshi, Abdul Wahid Arisar, Mujtaba Rashdi, Sarmad Mirani, Niaz Kalani, Ibrahim Joyo, Imdad Hussaini, Taj Joyo, Hameed Sindhi, Jam Saqi, Vali Ram Wallabh and many others.

The meeting constituted a permanent advisory committee with a view to coordinating the efforts of all the parties and groups which were struggling for the rights of Sindh.